Automobile-wheel.



G. L. GRIFFITH. 6 AUTOMOBILE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1912.

1,056,664,A Patentedy Mar. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

LOLUMBIA PLANOURAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. DA C.

G. L GRIFFITH.

AUTOMOBILE WHEEL.

lAPPLICATION FILED 1111111.12, 1912.-

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GLADE L. GRIFFITH, 0F BLOCKTON, IOWA.

AUTOMOBILE-WHEEL.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 12, 1912. Serial No. 683,202.

To ou whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GLADE L. GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Blockton, in the county of Taylor and State of Iowa, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Automobile-VVheels, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to vehicle wheels and more particularly to theclass of spring wheels.

The primary object of the invent-ion is the pro-vision of a wheel ofIthis character in which a number of springs are arranged therein so asto absorb shocks incident to the travel of the wheel thereby assuringmaximum life to the same and obviating the possibility of the breakingdown of the wheel during hard usage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a wheel of thespring type which possesses maximum resiliency wit-hout the use of anordinary pneumatic tire, thereby permitting the wheel to freely rollover a ground surface and to absorb all shocks incident to its travel.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a spring wheel thecasing of which is made so as to possess the requisite strength andlightness thereby minimizing the cost of manufacture of the wheel, andalso render it dust and dirt proof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a wheel ofthis character in which the springs are so arranged that when the casingof the wheel receives a shock the springs will be brought into actionexcept the two on a horizontal plane thereby absorbing the shock so asto relieve undue strain upon the wheel.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a springwheel which is simple in construction, reliable and efficient inoperation and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out lin the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings :--Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spring wheelconstructed in accordance with the invention, the same being shownpartly in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse, sectionalview through the wheel. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the treadof the wheel. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the universal connection betweenthe hub and the casing of the wheel, the partsthereof being partlybroken away.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutt-he several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals the spring wheel comprises acenter hub 5 provided with an outwardly tapering bore adapted to receivea tapered axle spindle 6 carrying the usual nut 7 threaded on its outerend for retaining the hub on the spin-- dle. Fixed in the hub in theordinary wellknown manner are radially arranged spokes 8 on oppositesides of which and at their outer ends are disposed rings 9 the samebeing formed with inturned flanges 10 at their outer edges and providedwith a fabric covering 11 on their outer faces to frictionally contactwith t/he inner and outer side plates 13 and 12 respectively of acasing'li which is preferably constructed from metal, although the samemaybe made from other material should it be desired.

Arranged concentrically with respect to the rings 9 and fixed to theouter ends of the spokes 8, is an 'annulus 10, the rings 9 beingdesigned to frictionally engage said annulus. This annulus 10 has formedintegrally therewith at intervals throughout the circumference of thesame alining ears 15, and likewise fixed to or integral with the innerface of the periphery of the casing 11- are similar ears 16. Connectedwith the ears 15 and 16 by means of pivots 17 are the end plates ordisks 18 of coiled compression springs 19 which for the sake ofclearness will be hereinafter termed primary springs.

Arranged within the primary springs 19 are coiled auxiliary compressionsprings 2'() the out-er ends of which are stationarily mounted upon theoutermost end disks or plates 18, the said auxiliary springs being ofless length than the primary springs and only cooperate therewith whenundue shocks or jars are transmitted to the wheel when. traveling uponthe ground surface or other foundation. The pivots 17 connecting the endplates or disks 18 to the ears 15 and 16 permit the rocking of thesprings 19 on opposite sides of the two springs disposed perpendicularwhen the wheel is traveling Patented Mar. 18,1913.

thereby enabling all of the springs to absorb any shocks or jarsincident to the wheel when active.

The plates 12 and 13 of the casing 14 are formed with center openings 21and the opening in the plate 12 receives the outermost disk of a pairofdisks 22 and 23 respectively connected by means of a universal jointpresently described, the disk 22 being fixed in any suitable manner tothe plate 12 ofthe casing while the disk 23 is fixed to the outer sideof the hub 5 and arranged between the same is the universal jointcomprisingl a ring 24- supporting at opposite sides thereof pairsofopposite friction rollers 25 and 26 respectively, the same beingrotatably mounted upon stud spindles 27 project-ing outwardly from thering member 24 at opposite sides thereof. Formed in adjacent faces ofthe disks 22 and 23 are centrally disposed guide slots 23 the same beingarranged at right angles t-o each other and in which engage the frictionrollers 25 and 26, the same being adapted to travel in the said slots onthe displacement of the casing 14 with respect to the hub 5 and in thismann-er the said hub will be prevented from turning independently of thecasing during the travel of the wheel.

Mounted upon the periphery of the casing 14 are a plurality of annularresilient bands 29 over which lies a tread oo vering comprising a seriesof link connected tread plates 3() the same being arranged diagonallyacross the tread o-f the wheel. The tread covering` is fixed to thecasing in any suitable manner.

Fixed to the hub 5 atthe inner end thereof is a closure disk 31 the samebeing designed to close the opening 21 in the plate 1.3 of the casing,and has on one face thereof a fiber covering 32 which frictionallyengages the adjacent surfaces of the plate 13 of the casing, thusrendering a dirt and dust proof closure. At the outer end of the hubformed in the ring 24 at intervals thereof are oil pockets or reservoirs33 from which lead oil delivery ducts or vents 34C to the spindles 27for lubricating the rollers 25 and 26 journaled thereon.

The disk 22 is formed with a central opening 35 which permits access tobe had to the nut 7 of the spindle (i and also to the interior of thecasing and this opening is closed by means of a cap 3G pivoted at 3T tothe disk, the cap being` locked in closed position by m ans of the screw38.

interposed between the rings 9 are coiled expansion springs 39 the samebeing fixed at their ends to the said rings and are designed to exertoutward pressure upon the rings to sustain the anges 10 in closedcontact with the inner surfaces of the said plates 12 and 13 of thecasing as will be apparent, the rings 9 being detached from the spokes 3which as heretofore stated are secured at their outer ends in theannulus i() on which are slidably supported the said rings so that thesame may be moved laterally thereon as will be clearly apparent.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction and operationof the invention will be clear.

What is claimed is:-

A spring wheel comprising a hub, spokes extending radially from the hub,an annulus concent-rically disposed about the hub and fixed to thespokes, a casing concentric to and inclosing said annulus and having aresilient outer tread, resilient means interposed at intervals betweenthe annulus and the casing, ring members arranged at opposite sides ofthe spokes and working against the inner periphery of the annulus andagainst the inner faces of the sides of the casing, and extension meansinterposed between the rings to force the same laterally in oppositedirections against the sides of the casing, so as to form tight. jointstherebetween.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GLADE L. GRIFFTH. ldfitnesses e l H. LUPTON7 ELLIS NULPH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

